With the People, Tugging Away

We say to those who wish to help Mrs. White in her work, you will not find her far ahead of the people, with a few extremists. No, she is back with the people, tugging away at the wheel of reform, and has to lift all the harder because of your extreme advance. Come back, good, whole-hearted souls, and stand by her side, and lift where she lifts.CD-SG 34.3

What can you do there at such a distance from the people? Come back. You must meet the people where they are.CD-SG 34.4

By this, dear brother, we do not mean that any are to come back to the wrong habits of the people. No, indeed. Their habits should be right. In this respect we say to them, Go on. But those who have run ahead of the work should come back from their heated zeal, and want of Christian patience, and labor for their brethren in the cause of reform as they can bear it. In this way they can help Mrs. White, who is tugging along with a double burden of the work. There may be those, whom others cannot reach, that she can, if rashness on the part of others does not place them out of her reach. If one cannot mend a vase, he need not break it into fragments. It is possible that another can mend it. We protest against the plan practically taught by some, “Cure or Kill,” and give a dose accordingly. Some sores need help in their cure, others will work their own cure best. It takes time to reform a poor, sinful, intemperate, blind, stubborn piece of humanity. It is a large job. And those who come a good way short of the faith of Abraham, and the patience of Job, had better lay out a little more time and toil on their own case, before going to work for others. He who deals with the mind, engages in the nicest piece of business ever undertaken by mortal man. And the greater the reform, and the closer the work, the more difficult and responsible it is.CD-SG 34.5